


Scooby Doo and the Satanic Panic

by casstayinmyass



Category: Ghost (Sweden Band), Rock Music RPF, Scooby Doo - All Media Types, Scooby Doo Where Are You! (Cartoon), What's New Scooby-Doo? (Cartoon)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Crossover, Crossover Pairings, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, F/M, Finally The Crossover Everyone Wanted, Gen, Ghosts, Hypnotism, In The Style Of An Episode, Mystery, Possession, Rats (Owoooo), Religious Imagery & Symbolism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:20:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23299963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/casstayinmyass/pseuds/casstayinmyass
Summary: Mystery Inc is invited to visit Meliora Castle by a friend of their friends, The Hex Girls. They don't expect to become acquainted with the ghost Popes of a creepy clergy, but the devil's just another man in a mask... right?
Relationships: Daphne Blake/Fred Jones, Papa Emeritus Zero | Papa Emeritus Nihil/Sister Imperator, Tobias Forge/Sally McKnight | Thorn
Comments: 9
Kudos: 18





	1. Prequelle

A thunderstorm crackled overhead as the castle walls shook. Papa Nihil, in his cream and gold coloured robes, sat at his typewriter, keys tapping away as he recounted his long life.

 _Frankly dear Sister,_ his page read,

_This position that I hold-- it erodes my soul. If I were to leave this place, sell it, dear Sister, tell me; would you miss me? A man came by, and wanted to take it off my hands. I must day I am relieved..._

His milky white eyes looked up, anxiety filling him. All he could think about was his three sons, and how he had treated them. He wasn’t the worst father; he loved his family; but after what happened to the boys...

 _It was a sacrifice that needed to be made,_ he told himself. Interrupting his reflection, he heard the faint melody of organ music floating down the hall. Curiously, he got up. There was no one else in this castle except for Sister... had she learned how to play the organ?

“Oh, sister,” Papa smiled, as he followed the beautiful music, “What a pleasant surprise.” He would have to remember she could play such a lovely melody for the future, so he could play his saxophone in accompaniment. But as he approached the chapel where the music was coming from, the sound began to spoil in his ears, and he began to grow wary. When he set foot in the chapel, his sneaking suspicion was confirmed. There was no one sitting at the organ, none of the candles lit. A single rat crawled across the keys, its tiny nails clacking against the age old ivory. “Sister?” he tried one more time, cautiously. He nearly jumped as chanting began behind him.

_“Our father who art in Hell,_

_Unhallowed be thy name_

_Cursed be the sons and daughters_

_Of thine nemesis whom are to blame_

_Thy kingdom come... nema.”_

“No... boys! No! NO!”


	2. Opus Eponymous

“I can’t wait to check out this new spooky getaway for the week! Isn’t it groovy of Thorn, telling her boyfriend about us?” Daphne Blake asked. The Mystery Machine travelled along the bumpy road that led them to their destination: the grand Meliora Castle, where their host, an eccentric musician named Mr. Forge, was waiting to greet them.

“It sure is,” Fred Jones answered, “Usually we have to depend on invitations from all of our long lost family members to travel to places like these. This time, we really got lucky with the Hex Girls.”

Shaggy Rogers stuck his finger up from the back of the van. “Speaking of getting lucky—” Daphne raised her eyebrow. “—Please tell me my luck hasn’t run out in the snacks department. Me and Scoob just polished off the last of the chocolate-peanut butter tuna sandwiches.”

“You guys finished all the food we packed!” Velma complained, glancing back over her shoulder.

“It’s alright, gang. We’re almost there,” Fred said, pointing ahead. They all looked up to see the huge gothic castle just up the winding road.

“Jeepers. It’s beautiful.”

“Look at the architectural design,” Velma pointed out, “It’s unparalleled.”

“Looks like a place that’s got a big kitchen, huh Scoob?” Shaggy whispered.

“Ruh huh!”

The gang parked the Mystery Machine in front of the castle, and got out. After surveying the grounds for a few more moments, they approached the large door. Freddy rang the doorbell, and a loud demonic chant echoed overhead.

_“Belial! Behemoth! Beelzebub!”_

“I’ll take two,” Shaggy said.

“Those are ancient names for biblically prominent, high ranking demons, Shaggy,” Velma told him.

“Like, thanks. I’ll mark that on my list of ‘things I really didn’t wanna know’.” After a few seconds went by, Fred rang the doorbell again, and a new chant played. 

_“Asmodeus! Satanus! Lucifer!”_

The door finally cracked open, and a tall man in all black and a silver mask stood.

Shaggy and Scooby immediately hid behind everyone, but Fred smiled, holding out his hand. “Hi! We’re friends of Thorn, Luna and Dusk! They're coming to meet us at the end of this week?" The nameless ghoul just looked at the outstretched hand, and cocked his head. The gang heard a snicker behind them, and turned quickly to find another one standing behind them.

“Zoinks!” Shaggy blurted. They were ushered inside by the two mysterious masked ones, and the heavy door slammed shut behind them. The inside of the castle was just as beautiful as the out, but they didn’t have much time to admire it.

A voice behind them made them turn.

“Ah! Hello, hello. I am Tobias, nice to meet you, my friends.” A shorter man with black hair and a leather jacket came out of what seemed like the shadows, and shook everyone’s hand with a large, friendly smile. “I apologize for the fright, those were only my ghouls. Their barks are worse than their bites.” At Shaggy’s nervous look and the absence of any laughter at his joke, he shook his head and leaned in. “Eh, ghouls. That’s what I call my ‘helping hands’ around here.”

“Huh. We were expecting someone a little... older,” Daphne said, looking over his Iron Maiden t-shirt and the vampire pins attached to his jacket.

“I’m older than I look, I’m afraid,” Tobias chuckled.

"I'm Fred Jones. This is Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley, Shaggy Rogers, and Scooby Doo," Freddy introduced as Tobias shook all their hands.

"So how did you and Thorn meet?" Daphne asked, “You make a really cute couple, by the way.”

“Ah, thank you.” He rubbed his hands together. “Thorn and I met at my first show in Salem. They became our supporting act for a summer-- very talented ladies. When they told me about you guys and your love of mysteries, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity for someone to... come visit my newly opened castle hotel. See if there's any... woo-hoo, ghosties of our own here! You know, if you have ghosts you have everything."

"Interesting change in careers," Velma commented. "Music to hospitality."

"Oh, I still make music with my band. Right now, we just finished a tour, so I am looking for something to fill my time with, some place I can write. So! How about some hot cocoa and pie before I have my ghouls show you to your rooms?”

The gang followed Tobias down the corridors of the gorgeous old place, marvelling at every detail.

“Wow. This place sure is something,” Fred said.

“Yes, it is! I just had to have it, to turn into my own frightening little getaway. Then I thought other people with the same predilections for the macabre as myself might enjoy it too. Why keep so much beauty for only one to enjoy?”

“I agree,” Daphne smiled, “Who sold it to you?”

“His name was Nihil. He lived all alone, before he died... curious, sickly old fellow. I stopped here one day during travel, asked him if he would ever sell. He seemed eager to take me up on my offer, and I didn’t have to pay very much for it at all.”

“Any reason he wanted it off his hands so badly?” The gang exchanged looks. There usually was some kind of mysterious reason behind old places like this being sold for cheap. They were technically on vacation, but a castle like this one promised secrets around every corner. Velma, at least, wanted to dig deeper.

“Well, the upkeep in a place like this is a nightmare, as I am quickly learning.”

“I can imagine,” Fred said, “Just like my van.” Shaggy leaned against a wall. The wall crumbled in that spot, and he snatched his hand away, wiping the dust off.

Tobias blinked, eyeing the ugly hole in the stone. “—Yes, well, a passion for bringing the dark past to light and making the old new again means that it is worth the work.” He paused. “Before he sold it to me, he did mention something about his family as well. Not wanting to stay in a place where he... lost his bloodline, or something. Strange fellow, eyes as white as snow, it was quite unnerving to maintain eye contact. Died right over there in that chapel, I’m told. Anyway! Pie?”

“Res please!” Scooby said, and Tobias scratched the dog’s head.

"If you would just wait here for a minute, I will check if the dining hall has made preparations," Tobias said, and dashed off down a hallway while the gang waited in the dark corridor. Candles flickered around them, and after about five minutes, Shaggy and Scooby began to get nervous.

"Well Scoob, at least we haven't run into any more creepy characters."

Just as Shaggy and Scooby were turning around, they bumped into someone. All parties involved let out a scream, and they backed up to see a man holding a lantern. The gang turned.

"Oh, forgive me. Ah, look what I have done, oh..." The man patted Scooby and dusted off Shaggy's shoulders. "I didn't realize we were already serving guests, heh!" He had a red suit on, a hat, and a small moustache. His eyes were curiously mismatched.

"We're here as friends of the Hex Girls," Fred explained.

"And you are?" Daphne asked. The man quickly righted himself, brushed his hair out of his face. He gave a dramatic, sweeping bow and took her hand, kissing it flirtatiously.

"I am Copia, my dear. The, eh..." he deflated a little, shrugging. "The caretaker here. Used to be a Cardinal, but... that did not work out."

"Nice to meet you," Velma said.

"And you, charmed, charmed."

Daphne jumped back when a squeak came from beneath Copia's robes, and he opened them. "Ah, this is just my pet rat. He is very friendly, I assure you! My dearest friend in the wide world. I am an orphan you see, and he has been my companion." He gave the rat a little scratch on the head. Scooby growled at it.

"What's his name?" Fred asked.

"...His name is Rat."

"Original," Daphne smirked.

"Yes, yes. I know. I do not have as much creative genius as the great Mr. Forge does. Anyway, I'm sure I will eh, see you all soon, no?" He booped Scooby on the nose, gave a slight bow, and hurried off down the opposite hall. The gang exchanged looks. Strange man. When Tobias returned, he told them the food was ready and led them on.

"We met your caretaker," Daphne mentioned.

"What caretaker?"

The gang froze, and Tobias let out a laugh. "I'm just messing with you. Yes, Copia. He's an... interesting guy. A little inept, but charming once you get to know him."

They entered what could only be described as a mess hall, ceiling towering over them and dining tables lined up. There were ornate crosses on the wall, which had been turned upside down for aesthetic purposes.

"I love your decor Mr. Tobias, sir," Shaggy said, gulping. Their host just grinned.

"It's all quite silly, isn't it? Satan and all that. It looks scary though, and that's what I'm going for. Hopefully it will make guests think this place is haunted by the devil or something!"

"They would be right."

They all turned to see an older lady sitting in the far corner. She leaned forward out of the shadows, displaying a sinister stare. "Papa warned you... yet you still laughed."

Tobias gestured to her. "Uh, kids. This is Sister Imperator."

She waved, smiled wryly. "You could say I came with the place."

"What do you mean by what you said?" Daphne asked, and Velma took a seat across from the sister as she began her story.

"The man who lived here served one deity in life. That deity was Lucifer."

"A real Satanist?" Velma raised an eyebrow.

"Body and soul, devoted. He served The Old One with fervour, as his father did. And his father's father. His father's father's father. His father's father's father's father... his father. Through the years of living here, he had three different sons with three different women. The sons lived here with him, prayed with him, committed themselves to The Old One as well in a line of Papal succession. They say the brothers served him well as each one became Papa themselves... but they are no longer amongst the living to tell of it. A mysterious plot arose, and the three brothers were murdered in this very castle."

"Murdered? In my castle?" Tobias asked, glancing around.

Sister sighed. "Did you not listen to Nihil's story?"

"I was distracted by the ABBA song that was in my head that day."

"Anyway," Sister huffed, "Some say the ghosts of the Papas haunt these halls today, furious and eager to avenge their deaths. I would say they are right... I have heard their restless spirits, and it spells the end for all of us... and the rise once again, of the dark one."

Tobias cut in again. "Can you email all that to me? That's totally going in the brochure."

"How do you know all this?" Fred asked the Sister.

"Because I was involved with Papa Nihil, once." She looked almost wistful.

"Were any of the sons yours?" Velma pressed. Sister was quiet for a moment, and opened her mouth to speak. Before she could, a crack of thunder echoed outside, and it began to rain.

"Okay. Enough talk of ghosts. There will be time for that tomorrow!" Tobias gathered everyone. "To the bedrooms."

The bedsheets were gold and cream silk, hand woven with sigils on them. The curtains were beautiful too-- everything seemed as though it was out of a centuries old church, restored.

"Thank you for the hospitality, Mr. Forge," Daphne said, plumping a pillow.

"Yeah. We can't wait to check everything out better tomorrow," Fred said. Tobias nodded.

"Sleep tight! Don't let the vampires bite!"

"Heh. Like, funny joke," Shaggy swallowed, wrapping two scarves around his neck. Scooby did the same.

"R-r-rampires!"

"Oh, you two," Velma smiled, "There's no such thing as vampires."

"No, you're right. Just Satanic ghost Popes and stuff. Like, no big deal."

"Oh, Shaggy." Daphne shook her head.

"Nooo, no! Didn't you hear that freaky lady down there? 'The ghosts of the brothers haunt the halls, eager to avenge their deaths! Oooo!'"

"She was probably just trying to scare us, Shag," Fred mentioned.

"It worked."

"--In fact, it was probably all an act. That Tobias seems like just the kind of guy who would hire her to put on some theatrics for us."

"Right," Daphne said. "Maybe that was all part of the experience!" She looked over to their quiet friend. "Velma? What do you think?"

"I do believe Sister Imperator was trying to scare us. But something in her eyes told me there was some truth to her story."

\----

Scooby and Shaggy woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of their stomachs growling. After searching for Scooby Snacks, they came to the realization that Daphne had kept them in her room.

"You remember where the kitchen was, Scoob?" Shaggy whispered, both of them poking their heads out from behind the door. Scooby shook his head.

"Ruh uh."

"Like, me neither. Maybe there's a pantry somewhere a little closer. Better yet, maybe the kitchen's still open, and that creepy Copia guy can make us some pizza!"

They headed down the hallway, picking up a candelabra off a table to light the way. After a few minutes of walking, they took a shortcut down a dark corridor, unwittingly getting further and further away from their intended destination. They walked by a huge cross on the wall.

"I guess Mr. Forge forgot this one," Shaggy snorted, and turned it upside down for him. With a click, the wall parted, and a secret room was revealed. They went in, and looked around.

There were books from floor to ceiling, lots of Satanic paraphernalia, a dusty old kazoo, and three large, ornate portraits hanging over the fireplace. Shaggy stopped in front of them.

"Like wow! This must be those three brothers, Scooby," he muttered. The first portrait was of the eldest, with red and black robes, large ears, and weathered eyes. The second brother was more poised, bald, and had a sort of distinction about him in heavy black, white and emerald robes. The third seemed to be the youngest, a handsome likeness with slicked back black hair, a black suit and white gloves. Underneath each, black opal plaques read "Papa Emeritus I, Papa Emeritus II, and Papa Emeritus III."

"Raggy! Rehehehe!" Shaggy looked over to see that Scooby had discovered a bunch of dusty old antiques.

"What are you doing?" As Shaggy looked away, he didn't notice the eyes of the eldest brother's portrait following him. Scooby got up on the clawfoot wooden table in front of the fireplace, and stuck a large Pope's hat he had found on top of his head, continuing to laugh. Shaggy got on his knees, pretending to pray.

"O holy Scoob, let us find some pizza with all our favourite toppings." He laughed as well, until he saw the first portrait behind Scooby drop down, to reveal a horrifying, skull-painted version of Papa Emeritus I take up the position.

"G-g-g--" he stuttered, pointing. Scooby turned, and jumped into Shaggy's arms. "GHOST!" The ghost Papa lifted his robed arms, and the pair ran out of the secret room, the spectre gliding behind them. "Like, run for it, Scoob!" They ran as fast as they could without looking back, and ran straight into the ghost himself.

"Like, please Mr. Ghost, don't hurt us!"

“I’m not going to hurt you.”

It wasn't the ghost. It was a very disoriented Tobias Forge on the ground in Star Wars pyjamas, holding a small red plush that had a disturbing potato face. 

After getting the two some food, he showed them back to their rooms, reassuring them there were no real ghosts in the castle.

"It's all just stories. Really. For the image. There is not a shred of truth to it."

"You tell that to Papa Casper the First in there!" Shaggy said. Tobias smiled.

"The three brothers are nothing but a legend, Shaggy. Sister Imperator didn't want me to open the place for business, that's all. Please, go back to sleep. I don't want you two getting lost again! This castle is very big, and very dangerous in the dark. Who knows what kind of booby traps it might have?"

"Rooby traps?" Scooby gulped. Tobias laughed.

"Goodnight!"


	3. Infestissumam

The next morning, the gang woke up to alarming news.

"I'm glad you're awake," Tobias said when they met him in the lobby. The place was crawling with nameless ghouls, all wondering what was happening. "Our dear Sister Imperator has gone missing."

"Missing?" Fred asked.

"Could she have left for the night?" Velma asked.

"No. She lives here, I agreed she could stay." He sat down, shaking his head. "I've contacted local authorities, they're looking into it. I was hoping you kids might be able to help as well... I know you have some experience with things like this."

"We'll do what we can. I'm sorry this happened before you even opened the place," Fred said.

"Yeah. Like, bad timing," Shaggy said. Tobias looked up at him.

"Maybe you were right last night. Maybe there is someone else in this castle."

"Someone else?" Velma asked, "Shaggy, what did you and Scooby see last night?"

"A rhost."

Fred crossed his arms. "Well, gang. Looks like we've got a mystery on our hands."

\---

The sun went down over the hills. "Show us exactly where you found the room, guys," Velma said.

"Do we have to?"

Daphne knelt down. "Would you do it for a Scooby Snack?"

"Rokay," Scooby conceded, and after getting fed one, the two led them down the hall.

"Like, I think it was down here."

They came to the cross on the wall, and Shaggy turned it. The door opened, to reveal the same room he and Scooby had stumbled upon the night before.

"Jinkies," Velma said, running her fingertips over the dusty old books, "These are all hundreds of years old. Alistair Crowley... old mythological and theological texts..."

"Something tells me that isn't for summoning good feelings," Shaggy said, pointing to a pentagram scratched into the ground. Fred knelt down by it, feeling the wood. It was stained with what looked like fresh blood, and had sigils carved all around it. Fred walked over to the portraits.

“I wouldn’t snoop around there, Freddy,” Shaggy said, “That’s where he came out last night.”

“Out of this?” Fred asked, knocking on the first painting of Papa Emeritus I. “It’s solid, Shag.”

"Look at this," Daphne said, and lifted up a large old book. It was already open to a certain page.

"It's an ancestral family tree," Velma said. They all looked at the succession of the brothers they had been told about. _Papa Emeritus I.... Papa Emeritus II... Papa Emeritus III..._ The rest of the page had been torn off, but thankfully all three brothers were still intact. Velma held the book up, comparing it to the three paintings above the fire. “This must be what they looked like when they were alive.”

"And look!" Daphne pointed out, "Sister Imperator is at the very top of the tree with Papa Nihil... she's the mother of all three!"

Fred looked up. "Maybe the Sister isn't missing after all."

They were suddenly distracted by a loud yell. Everyone ran out into the hallway, and toward where the noise came from. There, they found a swinging door, and Tobias' empty bedroom. 

\---

The gang sat in the drawing room. Outside, the sun came up.

"So, if we think Sister Imperator faked her disappearance, then she's still in this castle," Fred said.

Velma hummed. "She must be. And now, poor Mr. Forge is being held captive somewhere."

"What motive does she have to do all this?" Daphne asked. "I don't think anyone would go to these lengths just to scare a bunch of guests."

"Like, maybe she would," Shaggy said, "She seemed pretty bummed at the idea of Tobias using this place as a hotel and opening it up to the public.”

Velma nodded. “Now we know it's her ancestral home. It makes sense that she'd want to protect it."

"Still. We'd better search for some more clues,” Fred said.

They heard a bang and crash behind them, and Copia got up, cringing. "Sorry! Sorry..."

"Were you listening to us?" Daphne asked.

"No! No, I'm just on my way into work for the day. Damn tricycle..."

"Tricycle?" The redhead raised an eyebrow. They all looked over to see exactly that-- a shiny tricycle.

"Yes. It's stylish AND energy efficient!" he grinned, gave a thumbs up, then faltered. "I live, eh... very far away you see."

"How long have you worked here?"

"Well, um... I've been here for... mmm..." His mismatched eyes shifted from person to person. "Eh... well, a little bit. I love working here, this place makes my ass wobble!" He winked at Daphne. "And my... taint tickle."

"Right," she said. Copia blew them all kisses, and called for his rat, who scampered after him.

That night, they all gathered around the base of the winding stone staircase, flashlights and lanterns in hand.

"Velma, you go with Shaggy and Scooby back to that secret library. Daphne and I will check out the chapel."

"Right," Shaggy sighed as they split up. "Back to the creepy ritual room. Great. We survived the first round, time to tempt fate again."

They got to the little room again, and found that the crucifix on the wall was now dripping blood. Scooby cowered outside the door, as did his pal.

"Like nuh uh. You won't get us in there, not with Tobias' fresh blood dripping from the upside down cross."

"Come on, Shaggy. It's probably not his blood! It’s probably syrup, or something else." When they still wouldn't go in, she shook the box of Scooby Snacks she had borrowed from Daphne. "How many?"

After five each, the two entered the room. Scooby, with renewed vigour, sniffed along the floor... until he came to a little piece of ripped paper.

"Scooby! You found a clue!"

"Ri did?"

Velma held the paper up to a candle, and studied it. It was what looked like a man's likeness, but it had been badly burned. On a hunch, she found the book with the family tree, cracked it open again, and held the piece to the torn off corner... it fit.

"A fourth brother..." she mused out loud.

"Like, who is it?" Shaggy asked. A rat scampered in from a hole in the wall, and Scooby growled at it. Velma narrowed her eyes at the rodent.

"I have a pretty good idea."

In the chapel, Daphne and Freddy shined their flashlights up the walls. Everything was decorated to look like a dark shrine to the devil, and in its mission to give guests chills, it worked.

"Jeepers. It sure is cold in here." Fred took her hand, and Daphne snuggled into his arm.

“It’s sort of romantic.”

“I guess. In a creepy sort of way,” she said, biting her lip at the violent paintings of carnage all around them.

“We should light some of the candles.” They went around and lit a few, and saw that all the crucifixes were upside down, per the rest of the castle.

"Well, I'll give Tobias one thing. He sure is thorough," Daphne mentioned. Fred went around, trying to find anything behind the walls. Daphne walked over, and found an old organ. It had a dusty book open to a sheet of scrawled music, titled _Life Eternal._

"Hey, Freddy. Look at this." Recalling her skills from high school music class, Daphne played the first few bars. The floor opened, and she fell down a chute before the floor closed back up. Freddie turned.

"Daph?"

Over in the creepy hallway that ascended from the secret passage, the rest of the gang crept along.

"Raggy..." Scooby poked at him. He pointed up to the wall, where Papa Emeritus II was glaring down at them.

"Like it's just another painting, Scoob." Scooby put his head back down, and the three kept walking. The subject of the painting left the hole in the wall, and swept behind the panels until they stopped again.

"Raggy..." Scooby poked him again. "Raggy!"

"I told you, Scooby, it's just a pa--" His eyes widened as Papa II reached toward them out of the wall. "PA-PA-PAPA TWO! ZOINKS! Velma! Run!"

The two took off. In all the commotion, Velma tripped on the table's leg, and her glasses fell off. "Shaggy! Scooby! Oh... where'd you go? I lost my glasses! I can't see without my glasses..."

In front of her, Papa II picked them up, dusted them off on his robes, and handed them to her. "Gee, thanks Shaggy. I thought you two had run off..." She trailed off as she looked up to the Satanic skull Pope towering over her. "Oh. Uh, I'll just be going now." She took off running too. She ran into Scooby and Shaggy again with Fred, who was on his way from the chapel.

"Velma! What's...?" Fred looked behind her, and saw Papa II gliding toward them. "Run!" The ghost Pope chased them through the castle, up the stairs, around the turrets, and up to the roof. They hid behind a gargoyle, and watched the ghost glide past them. When they finally lost him, Fred told them why he was alone.

"They got Daphne. We've got to find her."

Daphne came to in a dungeon. She lifted her head, and cried out as she saw that she was surrounded by those nameless ghouls in masks.

"Where am I?"

"We're in their grasp, child." The weathered voice came from beside her. Daphne looked over, and saw Sister Imperator huddled against the wall.

“Sister! Who put you here?”

"Shh. We belong to the Old One now, and those that serve him here. We'll be joining Papa Nihil soon." 

"What?" Daphne cried, "Let me go!"

The ghouls parted, and in swept someone else. He looked like a dashing prince in a black suit, white gloves, and a rose in his hand, all save for the fact that his face looked like a skull.

"You're one of the brothers..." Daphne said, crawling back against the wall. "Aren't you?"

"I am," he spoke. Daphne tilted her head. His voice sounded almost familiar. "Come now, cara mia," he said, holding the rose out to her, "I will not hurt you." Daphne backed further away, so the skeleton Papa dropped the rose.

"Shh, shh. Can't you see that you're lost?" He kept his gloved hand outstretched, and his left eye began to glow. "Can't you see that you're lost without me?" Daphne stared into that hypnotic blue eye under the spell of his voice, and took the ghost's hand.

Sinister laughter echoed through the dungeon.

"She's gotta be around here somewhere," Fred said. "She disappeared in here." They looked around the chapel with the flashlight. Just then, the batteries began to die. "Aw, no!"

"Here," Velma picked up a candelabra, and lit the way. She went over to the organ, and looked down. "Another secret passage." She knocked around a bit on the floor, and got the hatch open.

"Stop, in the name of Satan!" They all turned, and saw the youngest of the brothers with Daphne at his side, her eyes glowing. "My Sister of Sin, carry out my will!"

The gang scrambled. Fred and Velma jumped behind the prayer benches. The demonic Daphne ran through the benches, but couldn't find them. Papa III chased Shaggy and Scooby into the confessional booth, and ended up opposite them. Shaggy, dressed like a priest, opened the slot.

"Do you have anything to confess to the unholy father, my like, undead son?"

"Res. Ronfess, ry son," Scooby echoed, lifting his chin.

"Ah, well," Papa III scratched his head, "There _are_ a few things I have done that I'm not too proud of, unholy father, I..." He suddenly caught on, and glared through the window. Scooby and Shaggy yelped, shed the costumes, and took off again before the ghost could reach through.

Scooby and Shaggy ducked behind the row of curse candles, and dodged Papa III as he swiped at them. As they ran to get out of the way, Scooby's tail knocked a couple of candles over.

The light illuminated the hat he had been wearing, and cast a shadow that looked like a huge Papa Nihil on the stone behind all of them. Papa III turned, and gasped at the dark figure of his father, falling backward. A bunch of bats hanging from the ceiling descended, and knocked him over as he screamed and writhed around. Fred pinned him down, and Velma and Shaggy helped catch Daphne, who had broken out of the spell.


	4. Meliora

The gang helped a disoriented Sister out of the dungeon through the hatch, and the morning light began to rise and fall the castle as everyone got together for the reveal. The Hex Girls had finally arrived, and were wondering what they had missed. 

“Missed you guys. Where's Tobi?" Thorn asked.

"Yeah. What happened here?" Luna asked, looking around. Shaggy filled their goth friends in.

"Like, first there was gramps the spooky Pope who lived in the painting. Then along came the scary middle brother, big bone daddy with the cape. Then the Phantom of the Opera over here turned Daphne into a walking ghoul who tried to kill us," Shaggy said.

"Bone daddy with a cape?" Dusk snickered, elbowing Luna, "Sounds like our type of man!"

Velma stood before the masked Papa at everyone gathered around. "You are serious that you know who did this?" Sister asked.

“Serious as a heart attack.” Velma began to explain. "While Scooby, Shaggy and I were investigating the secret room for clues last night, Scooby found something that unravelled the mystery. He found the torn page from the book we discovered, detailing the Emeritus bloodline. Papa Nihil, Sister Imperator--" The Sister nodded to her, "And the three sons. But there was a fourth."

"A fourth?" Shaggy groaned. “Like, oh no.” The ghouls all looked at one another in shock.

Velma held up the charred piece of paper. "Cardinal Copia."

"Copia?!" Everyone shouted.

"Yes. Or his real name... Papa Emeritus IV." One ghoul fainted into a ghoulette’s arms.

"So, it has to be him," Fred said. "Since we found the Sister. He must have been jealous of his brothers, and did this to take revenge on Tobias, who now owns what would be his birthright, this castle!"

"I thought the same when I saw this." Velma held up a finger. "But then I remembered... Copia told us he's an orphan." _("I'm an orphan, you see...")_ "Which means he couldn't have known his true lineage."

"Then who is it?" Daphne asked.

“Yeah. Who?” Thorn crossed her arms.

"The one person who should have been in the dungeon with Sister Imperator, but wasn't." She pulled the mask off. "Tobias Forge."

Tobias grinned, and waved at his girlfriend, black eye paint around his green eyes. "That was very good. Hi babe." Everyone stood around, stunned.

"Like, where's the rat man, then?" Shaggy asked.

"I must add one more revelation there," Tobias said gleefully. Scooby came trotting down the hall, a mask in his mouth. Daphne took it, and held it up.

" _You're_ Cardinal Copia!"

"In the flesh," Tobias bowed, "Or latex... heh."

"Well, at least you didn't hurt anyone,” Thorn rolled her eyes.

“But what of Papa Nihil?” Sister asked, “What of his death?”

“It came back from the coroner that it really was just a heart attack,” Tobias told her, “Something gave him a fright in here, which isn’t too hard to imagine. He must have had his own demons. I’m sorry. I may be a morbid asshole, but I’m not a murderer.”

"But what about the spell I was under?" Daphne asked.

Tobias shrugged. "The mind will trick you into believing a lot of things. I'm surprised that worked, actually." 

“So why'd you do all this, then?" Fred asked.

"Because I am a little shit, who loves to put on a show," Tobias clapped, and gave them all a big hug. "And I would've gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids. And your wonderful dog!" He gave Scooby a big kiss on the nose.

As everyone laughed together and headed off to the mess hall for drinks, "Copia's" rat scampered after everyone... with one glowing blue eye.


End file.
